What is in the deal?

US media report the deal would involve the Sacklers exiting the company before it would file for bankruptcy, dissolve and reform.

Profits from the business would then be directed to pay plaintiffs an amount - thought to be around $10bn-12bn (£8bn-10bn) - as well as donating drugs for addiction and overdose recovery, multiple reports say.

A number of state attorney generals have publicly pledged to continue their legal fight against the firm.

"This apparent settlement is a slap in the face to everyone who has had to bury a loved one due to this family's destruction and greed," said Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania's top lawyer.

"It allows the Sackler family to walk away billionaires and admit no wrongdoing."

What is the opioid crisis?

Opioids are a group of drugs that range from codeine to illegal drugs like heroin. Prescription opioids are primarily used for pain relief but can be highly addictive.

On average, 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which says more than 200,000 Americans have died from opioid-related overdoses in the last two decades.

Purdue is one of the opioid makers, distributors and pharmacies named in more than 2,000 lawsuits represented in the federal trial scheduled to begin in Ohio next month.

The cases allege the companies are responsible for fuelling an opioid addiction crisis in the US.

Firms including Purdue are accused of using deceptive practices to sell opioids including downplaying their addictive quality.

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Media captionOn America's trail of destruction

Purdue argued the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, had approved labels for OxyContin that had warnings about the risks.